Life on the Surface
by PaganFolk
Summary: Kiku is a 17 year old merman. He'd always dreamed of his perfect life on the surface. Tomorrow is Kiku's birthday, and his friend Arthur has given him a potion that will grant him legs and lungs- but only for a limited amount of time. Will he get his perfect life on the surface? Summary is bad.
1. Prologue

AN:Hello, I hope you enjoy this fic, not sure when it will be updated. This is mainly the opening/Prologue hence why it's so short. I'm going to try not to make the chapters so short, please bare with me.

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Tomorrow is Kiku's birthday, a 17 year old merman and at last he will finally be able to go to surface without having to answer to his judgmental family. He had always dreamed of a happy life at the surface with his perfect male human mate. Oh yeah, that's one more thing his family didn't approve of. Not only did he prefer life on land to life at sea, but he also was attracted to the same sex, different species. He had once followed his older brother Yao to the surface, and caught glimpse of a human man, and Kiku's salt water breath had been taken away. Yao did not disapprove of Kiku's way; he was just worried, and did not want him to go.

The Japanese merman had always been a bit rebellious, just not obnoxious about it. He often did things he was not supposed to, as go into sunken ships and play with the little trinkets and things he found there. And tomorrow, he could get even closer to the surface than he ever imagined.

Kiku's white tail swayed in the salt water, with patches of black and orange, eyes half-lidded as he bit his lip. His heart beat erratically with just the thought of surfacing. He had a thirst for adventure- for new lands- for dry lands. Slowly Kiku's eyes began to flutter closed, moments later falling into a deep sleep with dreams filled of his perfect life on land.

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The next day Kiku awoke by a tap on his shoulder. He groggily opened his large, dark eyes and looked over his shoulder, seeing another merman about his age. He had messy blonde hair and bright green eyes, matching the color of his tail and scales.

"Arthur..." Kiku smiled and faced him. He held a small bottle with a purple liquid residing inside. "Happy birthday, Kiku," He smiled, "I made this for you last night. It's a potion that will give you legs and lungs, but only for a small amount of time." Kiku smiled wide and took the bottle, hugging Arthur's neck. "Thank you so much, Arthur-san…This really helps a lot." Arthur laughed and patted his back, pulling away just a bit, but still holding onto Kiku's shoulders.

"I've known you for as long as I can remember, and you are the nicest merman I know. If anyone deserves their perfect mate, it's you." Kiku blushed, "Y-You flatter me…"A few moments later another merman, with long brown hair and a red tail swam to them, placing a hand on Kiku's back gingerly.

"Yao." Kiku breathed, hugging his brother. Being the over-protective older sibling he was, he kissed Kiku's forehead, hands cupping his cheeks. "_Yao_…" Kiku wined and rolled his eyes. The brunette merman only laughed, pulling away. "They grow up so fast…"

The Koi rolled his eyes, then looked around again. "Where are mom and dad..?" Yao bit his lip and scratched the back of his head. "O-Oh, they're still asleep." He laughed, Kiku sighed.

"Of course. How did I know that they wouldn't wish me a happy birthday. Nothing new I suppose." The Chinese smiled apologetically and rubbed Kiku's arm. "Well, I hope you find what you're looking for." Kiku smiled and bowed to them both. "Thank you. For staying with me through everything. I will return." After more goodbyes Kiku swam to the surface, heart beating against his chest as if it would pop out any second. He could see the sunlight, the beautiful, bright sunlight that he hoped to spend the rest of his life under.

A set of dark, curious eyes and raven hair appeared from the water, sticking to his scale adorned forehead as he held the bottle tightly. Kiku looked around and suddenly there was a boat. His eyes widened and stomach churned as he saw what was on that boat.

Golden blonde locks rustled in the wind, strong, muscular arms flexing as the man threw a line into the water, and long, muscular legs supporting his upper body. Kiku watched from afar, amazed by the form of the human. Then he turned around. Eyes as blue as the sky widened and stared straight at Kiku, causing his body to freeze.


	2. Alfred

AN: Hello everyone~ I want to to say thank you for everyone that has read the first chapter, and that I hope you enjoy the new one. This one is _much_ longer than the first chapter and better too, I think. So enjoy!

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"_Shitshitshit,"_ Kiku thought, limbs going numb and face turning as white as the pearls where he came from. The human's eyes were mesmerizing. He'd never seen a color so beautiful for eyes. "_This is the moment you've been waiting for, Kiku!" _ He told himself. _"This is not the time to be shy! Go and-"_

"Hey! What are you doing swimming all the way out here?" Oh Kami- his voice. It rang in Kiku's ears like his father's when he yelled at him for going into one of the abandoned ships and bringing home human items. Still frozen, he couldn't find his own voice. He opened his mouth, only to close it back when nothing came out.

"Dude…You okay?" The human said again. Nodding, Kiku swam closer to the boat. The blonde's eyes widened when he got a closer look at the merman. The merman's eyes were abnormally large and dark for a human's, and from what he could tell, were those- scales?

Kiku swallowed hard. _"Here we go…"_

"H-Hello." He said shyly, voice as soft and calm as the ocean waters on a spring day.

Cyan eyes lit up and the attractive creature held his hand out, a gesture Kiku didn't understand. Awkwardly, he did the same and hoped for the best. The Koi gasped when the other's dry hand took his own, shaking with a tight grip.

"Hiya! The name's Alfred!" He squinted slightly, "I don't think I've ever seen you before…Where'd you come from?"

"_Oh god," _Kiku thought. His first conversation with a human. He thanked Oannes* that they spoke the same language. Once Alfred let go of his hand, he propped himself up with his elbows on the side of his boat and fisted both of his hands on either side of his face. Kiku pulled his hand back into the water and licked his lips, dry from anxiety and the wind.

"My name is…" Pause. "Kiku," he said. Why did he have to think about what his name was? Oh yeah- Alfred asked him something else too.

"I-I came from," He looked down. "Yutopia." The blonde's eyes widened with fascination.

"So, you're a merman…?" Kiku had heard that word before. It was what humans referred to his own kind. He nodded shyly.

Suddenly, Alfred reached a hand out and brushed some of Kiku's wet hair away from his forehead, marveling at his scales. Kiku gasped and pulled away, not used to being touched by humans-or rather at all really, other than by Arthur and Yao. Putting his hands up, the human backed away a bit as well.

"S-Sorry, bro…Didn't mean to scare you." He apologized. He hoped Kiku wouldn't swim away.

"I-It is alright…I am just not used to being touched…" The Japanese mumbled, then swam back to the boat. This could be his future lover, he couldn't run away. "You can touch if you like. Just please tell me when you do…"

Alfred nodded vigorously, a bright smile on his face as he moved Kiku's bangs back again, running his long fingers over the hard scales.

"Woah…" He breathed, causing the merman to blush. "C-Could I…Could I see your tail…?"

The merman nodded and pushed off the boat a little, enough for him to lie on his back and pull his tail up to the surface of the water. Alfred gripped the side of the boat, knuckles turning white as he just smiled brighter.

"Dude! That's so cool!" He exclaimed. Kiku blushed again, wiggling his tail a bit and causing a few splashes of water to erupt onto the boat- and Alfred. The merman gasped and reached for the side of the boat, pulling himself up slightly.

"I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean to-"

"Chill out, man, it's okay!" Alfred laughed, reaching down to pull out a towel.

Kiku's eyebrows furrowed and he focused on the foreign object, then his eyes widened and his arms felt weak when Alfred pulled his shirt up and over his head. He stared at the other's toned chest, marveling at the ripples of muscle and his wide shoulders- the way his strong neck connected to his head and his wide hips; and oh- the 'v' below his stomach that made Kiku's eyes wonder to lower places. He felt a small protrusion come out of the upper part of his tail-

"H-Hey, Kiku," Alfred waved a hand in his face. "You okay?"

The merman snapped out of his thoughts and nodded, trying to hide the blush on his face and he pressed the small lump back inside his tail.

"I-I am fine." He said quickly, averting his eyes.

"You're not checkin' me out, are ya?" Alfred chuckled, taking a seat back on Kiku's side of the boat. He winked and smiled charmingly. "It's alright if ya do, I don't mind." The raven haired male shook his head, giggling softly.

"I-I wasn't looking…" Kiku lied.

Suddenly, he gasped, eyes going wide and scaring the shit out Alfred. He pushed off of the boat, causing it to rock against the small waves. The blonde leaned over the side of the boat, heart pumping as he stared at the water. Did he say something wrong? Was Kiku bored of him? Did he upset him? Alfred waited for several minutes, eyes flickering back and forth, no sign of his new merman friend. He waited in agony, worried he had done something wrong.

Several minutes later, Kiku resurfaced, his gills protruding and throbbing. Alfred exhaled loudly and sat back, smiling wide.

"Holy shit dude! You scared the crap out of me!"

Pulling himself back up a little he smiled softly at Alfred. He probably should have told him that he was going to do that…

"I'm sorry, did I scare you? I couldn't breathe." He said, smiling wide and showing his pearly-white teeth.

The human's heart fluttered. "I-Is there some way you could…Climb into my boat and not suffocate?" Alfred asked, he wanted to get to know the merman better. Then Kiku remembered the potion he was holding. The human had interested him so much, he forgot all about it. He held it up.

"Ah, my friend made me this. He said it will give me legs and lungs, but only for a short amount of time."

"Is it a potion or something?" Kiku nodded.

"I think I want to drink it now." He said, looking up at Alfred.

"Alright, do you want me to pull you up in here and then see what happens?" Kiku shrugged. Like he had a better idea.

"Sure."

And with that, Alfred gently put his hands under the merman's arms, pulling him into the boat with no problem.

Kiku gasped as his tail made contact with the dry boat. He quickly opened the bottle and swigged- not knowing how long he would last on a completely dry surface.

Suddenly, the merman rose up, purple clouds surrounding his body. His tail began to disappear from the bottom, a small pair of feet and long, milky pale legs presenting themselves as the scales vanished. His gills also evanesced with a sharp breath of air from Kiku; he held his throat and Alfred watched in amazement, pushing up his glasses. A few moments later, Kiku was back on the boat, sitting on his new bum with his legs limp.

Alfred covered his mouth and looked away, the Asian just staring down at his newly acquired limbs.

"D-Dude…" Alfred mumbled as Kiku just ran his hands up and down his legs.

"Hm?" The raven-haired male looked up at him, confused at Alfred's reaction. The blonde pointed to the area between Kiku's legs, and then it clicked.

"O-Oh!" He blushed and pulled his legs up, resting his head on his knees.

Then Alfred pulled a thick jacket off of the floor of his boat, holding it and his now dry shirt out to Kiku.

"Here. You can cover yourself in these." Kiku smiled and laid the jacket over his legs, holding the shirt up, confused. He tried to remember how Alfred was wearing it earlier. The blonde laughed and took it from him again.

"Hold up your arms." Kiku did as he was told, and Alfred slipped the shirt onto him, moving the Asian's arms so he could fit them into the sleeves. He paused momentarily to marvel at how soft his skin was.

"A-Alfred-san?" The other called from within the fabric. Alfred shook his head and tugged it all the way down, pulling away and smiling at how cute he looked in the over-sized shirt- _his_ over-sized shirt.

Kiku smiled, looked back down to his feet. He wiggled his toes, the small appendages making him giggle, the sound like bubbles. Alfred's face softened as he watched the other, smiling and sitting down in front of him.

"S-So, what made you come here?" The blonde asked shyly, trying to keep his eyes away from the other's legs. His eyes were still abnormally large and dark, but the scales were also gone. Although he missed Kiku's beautiful tail, Alfred found his legs and feet to be even more…_enticing_. The Asian pursed his lips, trying to alter his story so he could tell Alfred without sounding like a romantic sap- but not _too_ much- Kiku never liked to lie.

"I…I have always wanted to live on land…I find it much more interesting than the sea." He looked up to the sky- something he'd only seen when he went to the surface with Yao. He was satisfied with his answer, not completely true- but not a lie at all. Alfred's eyebrows shot up.

"How would you do that though? Are you just gonna kept drinking those potions?" Kiku giggled again.

"I don't think I will be able to. I would have to repeatedly go back and forth to my friend Arthur…"

"Ah."

Silence.

"Oh, hey!" Alfred exclaimed. Kiku looked up at him.

"I have a friend, and his boyfriend does magic! Maybe he could make you some of the potions or something so you wouldn't have to go back and forth all the time!" The other male smiled and nodded vigorously. Alfred grinned stupidly.

"And when you're permanently a human, you can stay at my house with me!"

"A-Are you sure it would be alright?" Kiku asked worriedly. "I do not want to impose." The blonde waved his hand dismissively.

"_Trust me,_ when I say. You won't be imposing. I'd love to have another face in my house; it gets pretty boring seeing the same people every day. Not that I _hate_ it-"

Kiku listened intently with a small smile as Alfred rambled, the blonde's voice causing little jellyfish to swarm in his belly.*

Soon enough, the sky grew dark and it became rather cold. They had been sitting in silence after Alfred had realized just how much he had been talking. Kiku thought it was adorable. The Asian shivered and clutched the jacket in his lap, legs squirming. Alfred noticed this and shivered himself, still shirtless.

"You cold? I got a blanket you could use if you like." Kiku tilted his head. The blonde smiled and pulled out an American flag patterned wool blanket. Kiku's eyes widened.

"Here," He sat next to the smaller man and pulled it atop of them, pulling it up to his chin, "See? You get under it and it keeps you real warm when you get cold." The Asian blushed from how close the other was, then smiled as he was immediately warmed-mostly from the other's body heat- and he stared at the bright stars and stripes.

"W-what is this…" Pause. "O-On it?" Alfred smiled heroically.

"It's the American flag!"

Dark eyebrows furrowed.

"W-What is that?"

"It's the flag of my country." Kiku was still lost. Alfred turned so he faced him.

"Okay. On the land, we have what are called _countries._ Different people live in different countries and there are about two-hundred of them. And for each country, there is a _flag_," He waves the blanket," That represents them. I am from a country called America. And this is the flag. Well-it's actually a blanket but this is what the flag looks like."

Kiku smiled and nodded in understanding.

"Okay. Is that were we are?"

"Yep! The _United States of America! _Bestcountry in the world!" Pause,"But…You don't sound like me. You have an accent. "Alfred looked at Kiku.

"Ah, yes. A few years ago my family and I lived somewhere far away. We had to move to warmer waters."

"Ah," The blonde said, "I think you're accent is adorable."

The Asian giggled. Alfred sat back and looked up at the sky, beautifully painted with the colorful sunset.

Kiku sighed contently, closing his eyes. For once, he was at peace. For once, he was somewhere he felt like he belonged. He wanted to stay with Alfred longer, but he suddenly felt his feet tingle.

A white fin appeared, scales covering his legs as the tail began to form around it. "Uh-Oh," He panted, losing breath as his lungs turned back to gills. Alfred looked over his eyes widened, picking Kiku up immediately and set him down into the water.

"Meet me here tomorrow, okay? I'll come back and get you, and we can go to my friend's house and see what he can do."

Kiku smiled and nodded vigorously and they both shared a long, lingering look into each other's eyes before the merman shyly looked away, disappearing into the water.

Alfred's face softened and he lay back in the boat, looking up at the starry sky. A hand reached to clutch his heart, sighing softly.

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Notes: Oannes is a god with the looks of a merperson. I needed someone for him to thank, so, it makes sense...? xD itried

The 'jellyfish' swarming in Kiku's belly are the equivalent to 'butterflies' for us, you know when you're nervous around your crush.

Thank you all for reading, critiques welcomed and hopefully I will update soon!


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